Caroline Chiimba
Experts say child marriages often compromise a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at an increased risk of domestic violence

Gazing into space through a cottage window in an almost empty room is a 36-year-old woman from Binga District, Matabeleland North province, who seems to be lost in her thoughts.

Ms Siphathisiwe Mnkonka had visited her husband who is employed as a domestic worker at a house in Manningdale suburb in Bulawayo with hopes of getting school fees for her twin daughters who are supposed to be in Form One this year.

“The fact that my daughters won’t be able to continue with their education hurts me badly,” said Ms Mnkonka, with tears welling in her eyes.

“When my husband told me that he wouldn’t be able to afford my daughters’ education, my heart sank. This was last year and I thought things would’ve improved after the festive season. But March is almost over and there’s still no money.”

Ms Mnkonka often visits her husband to collect money and groceries to feed their family back in Binga.

When I met up with her, it was during one of her routine visits to the city.

Ms Mnkonka, who herself was married off young and got pregnant at the age of 14, fears marriage might be the only option for her twin daughters as her two older daughters had already been married at the age of 15.

“My two eldest daughters got married at a tender age and they suffered on a daily basis before my very eyes. The most painful part is that I couldn’t do anything about it,” said Ms Mnkonka, with her voice trembling as she tried hard to suppress her pain.

She continued: “One of them was impregnated by a married man and she had to settle for a polygamous marriage. The other one was impregnated by a young boy who couldn’t take care of himself thus she is now at the mercy of the boy’s parents.”

In her custom, it is shameful for a girl to get pregnant out of wedlock so she had to let go of her daughters, fearing to be mocked by society.

The marriage institution in the Tonga community is regarded highly with rigid practices still in place.

Polygamy is still prevalent with the perception that marriage provides protection and family honour.

Poverty and lack of education coupled with gender disparities are the main drivers of child marriages in Zimbabwe.

Binga District is among many areas in the country whose inhabitants still marry off children due to abject poverty.

A significant number of men from the area who are bread winners are uneducated and whenever they seek employment in cities, they are paid money that is next to nothing due to their lack of academic qualifications.

Because of the paltry salaries they get, they fail to provide their families with basic needs such as food and a decent education.

They wallow in poverty and the cycle continues with younger generations.

“The money I’m being paid as a gardener is too little to pay for my children’s secondary school fees. My wife uses the money she gets from selling fish for her to come here (Bulawayo).

“We’d been helping each other raise money for their primary school fees but secondary school has proven to be beyond our reach. If things get better for me, I wish to educate my last born son up to secondary level,” said Mr Mwali.

Because he was already struggling to feed his children, grandchildren would have been an added burden so once his daughters got pregnant, they had to immediately move in with their respective husbands regardless of the situation at their in-laws.

“My daughter who got married at 15 and is now 20, experienced two miscarriages and suffered domestic violence at the hands of her husband’s first wife who accused her of stealing her husband and would assault her at any given time,” said Ms Mnkonka.

“It was a very painful phase for me because I couldn’t call her back home owing to our financial situation. I’m just glad that she’s now grown and can fight back.”

According to statistics, 41 percent of girls across Africa get married before the age of 18.

Unicef data shows that four percent of women aged between 20 and 24 were married before the age of 15 while 34 percent of them were married before the age of 18.

Experts say child marriages often compromise a girl’s development by resulting in early pregnancy and social isolation, interrupting her schooling, limiting her opportunities for career and vocational advancement and placing her at an increased risk of domestic violence.

Ending child marriages will help break the intergenerational cycle of poverty by allowing girls and women to participate more fully in society.

Empowered and educated girls are better able to nourish and care for their children.

Poverty, lack of empowerment and education has today led to history repeating itself in Mr Mwali’s family.

 

You Might Also Like

Comments